Interlocking structure for goggle frame and shield



April 26, 1955 A. F. PARMELEE 2,706,815

INTERLOCKING STRUCTURE FOR GOGGLE FRAME AND SHIELD Filed Sept. 9. 1952INVENTOR.

\ ATTDR United States Patent INTERLOCKING STRUCTURE FOR GOGGLE FRAME ANDSHIELD Alfred F. Parmelee, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to ParmeleePlastics Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of MissouriApplication September 9, 1952, Serial No. 308,632

2 Claims. (Cl. 2-14) This invention relates to goggles designed toprotect the eyes of the wearer against dust, dirt and flying objects,the primary object being to provide a two-piece assembly including atransparent eyeshield and a supporting frame formed and shaped toconform to the face and head of the wearer against which the frame restsin normal use, there being novel interlocking structure for releasablyinterconnecting the frame and the shield.

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide agoggle assembly wherein an elongated eyeshield of transparent materialhas a plurality of notches at its periphery, shaped to complementallyreceive a like number of wedge-shaped ribs formed integrally as a partof the frame.

Another object hereof is to provide a goggle assembly wherein theaforementioned ribs are disposed within a continuous groove within theframe for receiving the shield in engagement with the periphery of thelatter and overlapping the opposed, marginal edges of the shieldadjacent its periphery.

Other objects include the way in which the ribs terminate inwardly fromthe outermost edges of the frame forming the groove thereof; the way inwhich the ribs of the frame extend laterally from the bight of thegroove thereof and are integrally joined with the opposed flangesforming the groove; the manner of providing a novel nose piece in theframe that is likewise formed with a rib to receive a notch in theshield; and other objects including important details of construction,all of which will be made clear as the following specificationprogresses.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a front perspective view of interlocking structure for agoggle frame and shield made pursuant to my present invention, partsbeing broken away and in section for clearness.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, cross-sectional view taken on line IIII of Fig. 1looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, outermost elevational view showing the front ofthe goggle assembly, parts being broken away and in section to revealdetails of construction.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, crosssectional view takenon line IVIV of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, crosssectional view takenon line VV of Fig. 3.

The goggle assembly about to be described is designed to provide animproved means for interconnecting the shield and frame so that the samemay be made from differing materials not otherwise easily interconnectedexcept through more expensive materials and workmanship.

The shield hereof may be easily and quickly mounted on the frame andremoved for replacement or cleaning, when and if such should becomenecessary. In the drawing, the eyeshield is broadly designated by thenumeral 10, whereas its supporting frame is designated by the numeral12.

Shield may be made from any suitable transparent material such aslightweight, resilient plastic, and while in the particular form of theinvention chosen for illustration, shield 10 does not take the form of apair of corrected lenses, it is preferably arched both longitudinallyand transversely to avoid distortion when placed in use. It is to bepreferred however, that the frame 12 be produced from a soft,lightweight, highly pliable plastic substance that will readily conformto the face and head of the wearer around the eyes and rest thereagainstwithout discomfort to the user.

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To this end therefore, the innermost periphery, except only for the nosenotch 14 of frame 12, is provided with a continuous, transverselyrounded bead 16. It is to be noted that that edge of the frame 12defined by bead 16, conforms to the forehead at the top thereof to theupper portions of the cheek on each side of the nose notch 14respectively and extends rearwardly at both sides thereof in a pair ofwings 18 adapted to receive any suitable type of head fastening meansnot herein illustrated.

Frame 12 is provided with an opening 20 at the front thereof conformingin shape and size to the shield 10 which it surrounds. The opening 20 isdefined by a continuous, inturned groove that receives the shield 10 atthe periphery thereof, such groove being defined by a pair of spaced,parallel flanges 22 and 24 and a bight 26 that forms the bottom wall ofthe groove. When the shield 10 is mounted within the groove of frame12,its peripheral edge engages the bight 26 and the flanges 22 and 24overlap both of the opposed, marginal edges of shield 10.

Frame 12 has a plurality of inwardly extending wedgeshaped ribs 28within the groove thereof integral with the bight 26 and with theopposed flanges 22 and 24. Ribs 28 terminate inwardly from the innermostedges of the flanges 22 and 24 as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing,and each rib 28 respectively is received by a similarly shaped notch 30in the shield 10. Thus, each notch 30 is provided with a pair of opposededges that converge as the periphery of the shield 10 is approached, theinnermost end of the ribs 28 being fiat and engaging the bottom of thenotches 30. Shield 10 is likewise provided with a nose-receiving notch32 that is substantially V-shaped and extends upwardly from thelowermost edge thereof midway between the ends of the shield 10. Notch32 receives an upward projection 34 in the frame 12 and a V-shaped rib36 within the groove of frame 12 integral with bight 26 and flanges 22and 24, is seated within the notch 32.

Shield 10 is provided with a pair of opposed, upwardly facing shoulders38 against which the rib 36 rests when the shield 10 is locked in placewithin the groove of frame 12. It is to be noted that the rib 36, likethe ribs 28, terminates inwardly from the innermost edges of flanges 22and 24 and that the wedge-shaped rib 36 fits complementally within thenotch 32 of shield 10 above the shoulders 38.

The frame 12 being made from pliable material will yield sufficiently topermit insertion and removal of the shield 10. Once shield 10 is inplace however, the wedge-shaped ribs 28 and 36 will not only hold theshield 10 against lateral displacement from within the groove formed byflanges 22 and 24 and bight 26, but will hold the shield 10 againstlateral displacement in all directions with respect to frame 12.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a goggle, an eye protecting shield of stifi, transparent materialand having an inwardly extending notch formed in its marginal edge ateach of a plurality of spaced apart points around the periphery thereof;and a unitary, molded frame circumscribing the shield, said frame beingformed of flexible, relatively soft material, contoured to conform tothe face of the wearer around the eyes and across the nose, providedwith a pair of continuous, spaced apart, inwardly directed flanges, eachhaving a continuous free edge overlying the said marginal edge of theshield when the goggle is assembled, said frame being further providedwith a rib bridging the space between the flanges at each of a pluralityof spaced apart points around the frame, there being a rib for eachnotch of the shield, said ribs and said notches each being dove-tailedin form with straight side and base edges, the base edges of the ribsand notches being spaced inwardly from the free edges of the flanges,the width of the mouth of each notch being great enough to permit readyinsertion and removal of the proximal rib during assembly anddisassembly of the shield and frame respectively whereby, when theshield and frame are assembled, the shield serves to maintain the framein extended condition to conform to the face of the wearer when inplace.

2. In a goggle as defined by claim 1 wherein said shield is providedwith an upwardly-extending notch and at least one shoulder on the edgeof the shield forming the upwardly-extending notch; and wherein saidframe is provided with a nose-receiving projection extending upwardlyinto the upwardly-extending notch, said projection having means disposedin overlying engagement with said shoulder for holding said projectionwithin the upwardly-extending notch and thereby cooperating with saidribs and said dovetail notches in maintaining the frame on the shield.

UNITED STATES PATENTS

